Oklahoma Faces Tall Task Against No. 15 Vanderbilt With History-and a Nine-Game Skid-Looming
If you’re an Oklahoma fan, this season’s been a tough ride. But buckle up-because it might not be over just yet.
The Sooners are heading to Nashville this Saturday to take on No. 15 Vanderbilt, and on paper, it’s shaping up to be their toughest challenge of the year.
Oklahoma enters the matchup riding a nine-game losing streak-just one shy of tying the program’s all-time record set 62 years ago. And with ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index pegging the Sooners as having the most difficult remaining schedule in the country, the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t looking particularly bright.
To be fair, Oklahoma won’t go winless in SEC play-unlike the 2023-24 Missouri Tigers, who famously dropped all 18 conference games and added another loss in the SEC Tournament. But that’s about where the silver linings end. The road ahead is brutal, and the next stop is a red-hot Vanderbilt team that’s found its rhythm at just the right time.
History Between the Programs
Oklahoma and Vanderbilt have split their four all-time meetings, two wins apiece. The last two contests went heavily in OU’s favor-blowout wins in Norman in 2019 and again last season, when the Sooners ran away with a 97-67 victory in their SEC debut year.
But this time, the game’s in Nashville. The last time OU played at Vanderbilt?
That was way back in 1955, and the Commodores took that one 78-69.
Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, with coverage on SEC Network.
Scouting Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has had a full week to rest and prepare, and they’re bringing a three-game win streak into Saturday’s matchup. That stretch includes a dominant 80-55 win over Kentucky and victories over Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Those wins followed a rough patch where Vandy dropped three straight to Texas, Florida, and Arkansas-coincidentally, the same trio that’s already handed losses to Oklahoma.
Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner leads the Commodores with 17.8 points per game and has scored in double figures in 21 of 22 contests this season. Right behind him is graduate transfer Duke Miles-yes, the same Duke Miles who played for Oklahoma last year. He’s found a new gear at Vanderbilt, averaging 16.6 points per game after posting 9.4 per game in Norman last season.
Senior Tyler Nickel adds another layer to Vandy’s offensive firepower. He’s shooting a blistering 45% from beyond the arc and averages 14.5 points per game, knocking down over three triples per contest.
Vanderbilt doesn’t just score-they share the ball. They rank second in the SEC in both assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, a sign of crisp ball movement and smart decision-making. Combine that with top-tier free throw and three-point shooting, and you’ve got a team that knows how to finish possessions efficiently.
The Commodores started the season 16-0 before finally stumbling at Texas. But they’ve bounced back strong, and they’ll be looking to keep the momentum going at home-where they’re 11-1 this season.
What’s Going Wrong for Oklahoma?
The Sooners have talent. Four of their five starters average double figures, led by Xzayvier Brown at 16.4 points per game.
Brown, a transfer from St. Joseph’s, has posted 10 games with 20 or more points this season.
Nigel Pack isn’t far behind at 15.8 per game, and when he gets hot from deep, he can change the complexion of a game in a hurry.
The problem? Consistency.
OU rarely gets all its key players firing at the same time. And while they’ve shown flashes-like holding double-digit first-half leads in three of their last six games-they just haven’t been able to close the deal.
In fact, they’ve led at halftime in four of their last six and still come up short each time.
Road games have been especially tough. Oklahoma is 1-6 in true road contests this season, and their shooting percentage drops significantly away from home-just over 40%, which is six points below their season average. That kind of dip makes it hard to hang with top-tier teams, especially in hostile environments like Memorial Coliseum.
To their credit, the Sooners have taken care of the ball. They rank fifth in the SEC in turnovers per game (9.96), and they matched a season low with just six in their recent loss to Kentucky.
It was the 12th time this season they’ve kept turnovers under 10. But clean ball-handling alone isn’t enough to win games-especially when the offense stalls late and defensive lapses mount.
The Bottom Line
Oklahoma’s effort hasn’t been the issue. They’ve fought.
They’ve led. They’ve competed.
But they haven’t finished. And against a Vanderbilt team that’s humming on both ends and nearly unbeatable at home, the margin for error is razor-thin.
If the Sooners want to avoid tying a decades-old program record for consecutive losses, they’ll need their best game of the season-and then some. That means hot shooting, tight defense, and a full 40 minutes of focus. Otherwise, this could be another long afternoon in what’s already been a long season.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 87, Oklahoma 71
It’s hard to see this one going any other way. The Commodores are rolling, and the Sooners, despite their effort, just haven’t been able to string together a complete performance.
If Oklahoma can pull off the upset, it would be one of the most surprising results of the college basketball season. But right now, all signs point to history repeating itself-for all the wrong reasons.